The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-08
FLAMES IN A THEATRE.
Frightful Tragedy at the Opera
COmique in Paris.
Many Persons Burned to Death or
Killed in a Panic.

The Opera Comique in Paris took fire on
Wednesday evening. and the whole building
was soon wrapped in fame. The fire
broke out during the first act OF the opera
"Mignon" One of the wings caught fire
from gas Jet and the entire stage was i'm
medateIy enveloped in flames. The fire soon
spread to the whole house. Nine. Mergvillier
and NM Tasquin and Bernard were on the
stage when the fire broke out. All the actors
ran out in their stage costumes. The audience
got out easily but the gas was turned OH be-
fore all had left the building, and it
was feared that some were left i'll the upper
tiers. The roof soon fell in, sending showers
of sparks as far as the Place de Ia Bourse.
With the exception of Nine. Seller, who per-
ished III the flames, all the actors escaped,
though several of the supernumerar1es were
injured severely.
Five bodies, terribly burned. were conveyed
to the National Library. Among them was
the body of woman clasping little boy IN
her arms. The money receipts were
saved and deposited in the Gautots
office. The flremen showed the
greatest courage NM. Goblet, Thibaudln,
and Gragnon were on the spot soon after the
fire started, and they remained throughout
with the fire officials. The Military Club rem
dered great assistance III the work ofresculng
people from the building.
Nineteen persons were known to be dead
Many of these were supers. An artificial hre
apparatus, which had been placed in position
in readiness for the burning of the palace in
the second act, rolled down from it's place
near the roof and exploded below.
Women, halfclad and carrying their cos
tunes fed from the stage screaming
The flames spread with such rapidity that in
fifteen minutes the stage was vast furnace
Several actors escaped by climbing to the
roof on the side of the Rue Marivanta, where
they were rescued by fire escapes.
The audience was delayed few minutes
by dense smoke and insufficient light. The
killed includes four firemen. There was
not a frantic rush in the theatre, but
blocked. NJ. Tasquin implored the audi
ence to remain seated until the exits were
opened, which they did. If they had made a
rush for the doors the loss Of life would have
been terrible The police outside were unable
to restrain the crowd who beSieged
the building inquiring for. friends
inside until a military Gordon was
formed. One man who wanted ID rescue hls
brother and sister raved and tore his'hair and
menaced with a stick the people who stopped
him from rushing into the blazing building.
The scene outside was one of the widest
excitement. Falling embers struck horses in
the surrounding streets, causing them to
plunge and rear. Flames shot out Of every
window, forcing the crowd into the narrow
streets, where the crush was terrific.
A member of the company says there
were l50 persons on the stage whom the fire
broke out She heard the glass falling like
hailstorm, but told the other girls not to mind
it. But while she was speaking a column OF
flame burst through the wings with roar
and all rushed pellmell from the stage.
Only fortnight ago NJ. Steenackers called
attention in the Chamber of Deputies to the
dangerous condition of the Opera Comique,
which was the oldest theatre in Paris The
newspaper Figuro also called attention to the
same thing after recent twelve-hour benefit
performance.
The iron curtain was lowered in front OF
the stage. and this prevented the fire from
spreading Immediately to the auditorium
and allowed the audience time to es
cape. The nlen who carried away
the money chest report that when
they left, the auditorium was quite
empty. The fire brigade distinguished them
selves, and many of them had narrow escapes.
Most of the casualties so far reported were
due to nervousness Many persons who were
unable to trust themselves to walk the mar.
row ledge of the cornice around the build
ing jumped off in their terror. One woman
coolly walked all around the cornice while
flames were bursting above until she reached
a fire escape. The victims were almost all
singers.